Almost Paralyzed
by WhereverUAre
Summary: AU Events in Nico's life after escaping Tartarus. With no respite anywhere in sight, Jason reaches out to the Son of Hades. Acceptance is the first step to recovery. Right?


"The sadness will last forever."

— Vincent Van Gogh

When the jar tilted and the son of Hades rolled out, he was in a less than suitable condition. Percy felt his heart drop to his stomach as Piper gasped in the background. Nico's legs were bent in impossible angles and his face was a bloody pulp. He was unmoving and left bloody skid marks behind him till he stopped rolling like a grotesque human dice. The looks of horror seemed to fill the Giants with great bravado and enthusiasm. Their mindless chatter was punctuated with taunts and cruel laughter.

"Let him be alive. Everything else we can deal with. As long as he was still alive, they could heal him, piece him back together, do something." prayed Percy.

Ephialtes smirked cruelly at the demigods and kicked Nico in the stomach so hard that he skid closer to the horrified heroes.

"Come on and rescue your friend, won't you?" He taunted.

In that movement Nico coughed at a mouth full of blood before going motionless and looking like a corpse. But it was all the hope and instigation for Percy to charge.

Percy ran through the old building's corridors with Nico in his arms. The son of Hades was barely breathing and all the blood smeared on him made it harder to figure out if he was breathing at all. After defeating the Giants, Bacchus informed the heroes that they would find medical help with a goddess named Panacea who could be reached at the ruins of an ancient hospital. Nico's injuries were clearly too extensive for the usual medical aid that the heroes had access to aboard the Argo II. And Bacchus had also strictly warned them against administering any god food to Nico considering that it could react badly with the underworld food that Nico had used to sustain himself in the Jar. Coach Hedge also informed Percy on the way to the hospital that Nico's broken legs had started healing in the awkward position that he had been left in, in the cramped jar. Someone would have to break them again and set in the right form if Nico were to ever walk normally again. The heroes decided that they would leave Nico at the Goddess's holy hospital with Hazel and Coach Hedge while the rest would rush to rescue Annabeth. Normally, Percy would have never agreed to a detour with Annabeth at stake but any delay in letting Nico reach proper medical help would definitely have led to his death. Besides, it was conveniently on the way.

As Percy raced through the building with Hazel running ahead to explain everything to Panacea, he noted that Nico was bleeding through the bandages around his middle. His features were distorted from the vicious beating he had received and he barely weighed anything in Percy's arms. The son of Poseidon could not believe that he was carrying a teenage boy in his arms as he finally reached the room that Panacea and Hazel had disappeared into.

The room was white and was filled with aromatic herbs and potions. Panacea quickly gestured for Percy to put Nico on the simple cot in front of him. The second the Goddess leant over Nico's perfectly still form, he was surrounded by helping nymphs. Without wasting another second, Percy nodded at Hazel and Coach Hedge and ran out to the balcony where a rope ladder was waiting for him, hanging from Argo II. He grabbed onto the ladder as it slowly started retracting itself onto the ship. The Ship was already flying to the destination but Percy tried to catch a glimpse through the window. Hazel was tactfully standing out of the way but watching with tearful anxious eyes as the Goddess and the nymphs completed surrounded the bed. Percy turned his gaze away from the window and tried to focus on the rope ladder he was precariously hanging from when he noticed the rope under his hands had been stained with Nico's blood.

Percy silently sent up a prayer to his father. "Please father, he's only fourteen. Please don't let him die like this."

Jason and Leo silently stood at the hull while the Argo II steered its way towards the hospital building that they had left Nico in. Hazel and Coach Hedge were still with Nico but Jason could not help but worry. Right before Percy and Annabeth were consumed by the chasm to Tartarus, Percy had yelled at Jason and told him to let Nico lead the heroes to the Doors of Death on the mortal side. The rest of the demigods were distraught and overwhelmed but Jason and Leo did the only thing they knew in the face of adversity. Push forward. Jason was still racked with fear. Nico was the only one who would be able to lead them to the Gates. But Gods, he looked no different from a corpse. Thinking of the angles that the emaciated boy's legs had taken. It made Jason sick to the stomach. He thought about how Percy's shirt was drenched in blood after he had come back onto Argo II after dropping off Nico. Jason tightened his fist.

Did the Gods have no conscience? When they sat and watch Nico get tortured and suffocated in that jar? Of all the insane endeavors that they used their godly powers for, was helping a fourteen year old boy, their own blood no less, not of any significance? The gods were cruel. Jason had known that all along. But seeing Nico like that, it just made him feel bitter. Were their godly parents any better than their predecessors? Why did they deserve Jason's unquestioning loyalty when they saw fit to leave Nico to be tortured by the Giants?

His chain of thoughts were broken when Leo spoke, "Do you think Nico's still alive?"

Jason was stunned for a moment. "Gods, Leo. I think so. I hope so. He's the only one who can help us shut the Doors of Death. Besides, he's tough. If anyone can survive Tartarus, the Jar and still save the world, I'd be betting on Nico."

Leo looked at Jason skeptically. "I hope you are right. He didn't look all that tough to me."

Jason looked at the skies ahead of him. He hoped with all his heart, for that thin, young boy, that he was right.

Panacea had released an unconscious Nico to them and advised a strict regime of bed rest and healing potions. Jason sincerely took them and promised his best. In his heart he knew that Nico would have three or four days at most before having to be on his feet, fighting to save the world. Nico's legs were reset, wounds stitched and face returned to normal proportions. It was as if he had been healing for weeks but he still looked gaunt and impoverished. When Jason carried him to Percy's old room and laid him down he noted that Nico definitely weighed a lot less than a fourteen boy should. But at least he was alive and they could work with that. Maybe Nico could not get all the rest he needed right now but Jason resolved to help the young demigod after the war ended. He settled to watch the younger boy rest as Hazel set up all the medical supplies.

Jason was walking on the deck while Leo was twiddling and doing something in generally Leo-ing when they heard the first sound of intrusion. It had been two days since Nico had woken up and his spirits did nothing to improve the sullen moods of the heroes worrying for Percy and Annabeth. He had however assured them that Percy and Annabeth were alive and marked out a path for Leo to navigate through to the Doors of Death. Now, the ship was sailing through a river as Leo decided that it was a better decision fuel efficiency wise. Moreover, the never-ending stream of flying roman monsters made them crave a little change. It had all been sailing a little too smooth until now. Before they could assess the situation, there was another resounding crescendo that almost moved the entire ship. Jason and Leo ran over to the edge to see a vision straight out of some nightmare. Skeletons with daggers between their ghastly teeth were climbing out of the waters and scaling the walls of Argo II.

"Leo! Take us out of the waters!"

"They are trying to break into the ship from the bottom! And on it!"

Jason raced into the ship to try reach the basement as Frank, Hazel and Piper raced out to join Leo as the ship soared into the air. That didn't seem to deter the skeletons that had already scaled the walls.

Jason skipped steps as he ran down the stairs and raced down the corridors when he heard a loud clashing noise from Nico's room.

Oh Gods, Nico! He was completely defenseless right now!

Jason did not hesitate to pretty much break the doors out of its hinges and rush in. The windows were barely intact as the skeletons were punching the glass in the circular windows relentlessly. Jason almost charged at the skeletons when he realized that Nico was tangled in his sheets, gasping and moaning.

Realization dawned upon Jason. It was Nico's nightmares that fuelled the skeletons. They were here trying to protect him! Nico must have subconsciously summoned them!

Jason put his sword down and reached out to Nico who jolted out of sleep the instance Jason touched him.

"Nico, you need to call the skeletons off right now! They think you are in trouble!"

Nico's eyes turned as huge as saucers as he looked at the windows. As if programmed to rather than consciously doing so, Nico obeyed Jason. Instantly, the skeletons released the side of the Ship and mimicked some undead Kamikaze.

"Nico, are you alright?" Leaned in Jason, extending his arm again to touch Nico's shoulder. The son of Hades was visibly shaking with the sheets wrapped around him like a snake.

"Don't touch me!" Yelled Nico as he helplessly raked his hands on the sheets trying to release his body from their hold. His shivering hands and mindless tugs were ripping the sheets and tightening them around his body. Jason could see the sweat and tears glistening on Nico's face as he helplessly watched the demigod suffer. His agitated movements finally succeeded in freeing himself and he slid onto the floor. His body shuddering entirely as he struggled to breathe properly. He was heaving and trying to pull in air but was unsuccessful as his panic attack gripped him entirely.

Jason slid down onto the floor in front of him and tried to catch Nico's panicking gaze.

"Come one, Nico. Just imitate me ok?"

He inhaled while counting till four on his fingers and released while counting back again. A trick that he had picked up with Reyna who had her own share of panic attacks. He was glad to see that around the 3rd time, Nico started attempting to copy him.

"Good job, Nico! You can do it!"Jason urged.

With tears streaming down his face, Nico looked so vulnerable and terrified it broke Jason's heart. This boy had to literally go through hell only to have the living daylights pummeled out of him by the Giant twins.

Finally, he calmed down enough for Jason to pour him a glass of water. When Jason extended his hand to give him the glass, Nico visibly blanched and flinched away from Jason. Jason set the glass down in front of him and sat down across from Nico.

"Nico.. When the Giants captured you.. Did they.."

He faltered looking at the ashen demigod. However, the first step to recovery was getting over denial Jason remembered from Reyna's speeches.

"They hurt you, didn't they? More than hitting you?"

Nico looked away, still shivering. Jason thought he wouldn't answer and was going to ask him to drink the water when Nico gave a small, almost blink and miss nod.

*Fin*


End file.
